Another Side of Gardening: Loss, Solutions, Moving On

How does it go? If you're not killing plants you're not stretching your garden muscles? At least the old adage makes me feel better when I inevitably lose plants. The truth of the matter is that I lose a lot, probably more than I realize because certainly I have forgotten where I planted some fancy plant along the way, one that just never came back. Loss is part of the deal, in fact, and the sooner I make peace with that the more balanced is the whole experiment.

The last year has been one of plant loss as well as acute observation prompted by weather extremes on both ends of the spectrum (we just hit the record for the longest stretch of 95-plus degree days), and I would like to lessen the heartache that extreme weather brings. That means paying attention to what will survive both ends and repeat. Still, it stings. Sometimes, however, a loss is an opportunity for a new experiment or strategy. Here then is a snapshot of some of the downs and (hopefully) ups at Chickadee Gardens this past year. 

This madrone or Arbutus menziesii tree on the left was a self-sown welcome addition to the garden. It is a native tree to this area, is evergreen, gorgeous and hard as hell to grow in cultivation so we considered ourselves lucky to have one show up and thrive.

Literally one day last week it did this and pretty much looks the same. I don't water it; it doesn't like summer water. The only "event" that happened recently was about 15 minutes of hard rain on August 1, quite unusual. But would that do this? We are leaving it for now to see if recovery is in the cards.

My creeping thyme field, Thymus 'Pink Ripple' has been fabulous since I planted it in the beginning (2016). Bees love it and it is a no-fuss, drought-tolerant ground cover.

This winter/spring it did this. What? This is a pretty steep slope, although difficult to tell in this photo, so it probably wasn't rot. Plus, the same thyme at the bottom of this little slope that is relatively flat looks fantastic still. I thought it might rebound so I left it like this for a few months then finally cut out all the dead material.

I then mulched with gravel in between to help keep weeds down. It is rebounding and will likely eventually fill in. It's a mystery to me still but I'm sure somehow related to the weather.

Phormium tenax 'Rubra' got a haircut. It was one of the first things planted when we arrived and has survived all kinds of weather. This past April snow nearly did it in and I won't lie, it looked atrocious. But I had a feeling the roots were good so I left it intact, whatever bits of live leaf material left would help to photosynthesize light and help it grow. I don't have a "before" pic, but it did grow through its ugly phase to reveal fresh new leaves. I sat on the ground for about 45 minutes, skootching on my bum around and around cutting off dead bits. 

You'll just have to trust me that it looks incredibly better. I didn't want to cut it all the way to the ground when it was mostly dead, I wanted rather to give it a chance to recover on its own terms.

Atriplex halimus, salt bush, an evergreen, super-drought-tolerant-sun-loving-heat-loving miracle plant.

This one hurt the most. This is in February, it up and died overnight. Really. We had some light 2 inches of snow or something and then it did this. I don't think the snow itself did it in, I mean it has survived a lot worse than that for six years and looked gorgeous throughout. 

We cut it back to this, observing some tiny growth breaking at its base, hoping it might grow from the roots. Was the soil too wet this winter? Were there mole tunnels deep underground that disturbed the roots? We don't know.

The grow-back from the roots never happened. I eventually cut the whole thing back even harder to the ground. Heartbreaking - and look at the amount of empty space it leaves behind. I have since planted a few small plants that will handle reflected south-facing heat (a yucca and more Dorycnium hirsutum), but I do plan to replant one here and try again, I loved it so much. So did the little brown birds.

One fine spring day the Salix gracilistyla 'Melanostachys' or black pussy willow turned brown. It just died. I suspect borers of some kind as its growing conditions were ideal.

The hole in the center is left by the now dead salix. Truth be told, this area was overplanted and the salix was getting huge. Now the Rosa 'Mutabilis' will have room to spread, so not a total loss.

The freak snow we had in April weighed down many evergreen sun-loving shrubs such as this Ceanothus cuneatus ‘Adair Villiage.' It consequently pulled out of the ground in this case, others were flattened. I righted it as much as possible and gave it a good pruning, a first for me and this ceanothus. I took a chance, not knowing if it would take to pruning or not.

It did great, actually, and is much happier. It has nearly completely grown back to its original size in just a few months.

Food production is so off this year, and frankly makes me a bit panicked. This cherry tree surprised-died while the rest of the orchard is pathetic. The snow in April wiped out most of the blossoms on apples, plums, pears, etc., so we basically have zero fruit save for a small amount of apples that, by the way, are small and spotty.

Our 40 or so feet of raspberries also died, rotting in the ground. I've heard the same from other gardeners, i.e., they also lost their raspberries to our record-setting wet spring. FM was so clever to reuse old lumber to build these raised beds for what will be a new raspberry patch. We have yet to obtain new plants. They are expensive, and we need several that will handle our wet winters, although these raised beds will now aid the drainage issue.

The rest of the veggie garden is not only behind schedule but not all together successful. This is actually a shot of some of the hundreds of onions and shallots I grew last year, I wish it were from this year.

This is that same garden bed at roughly the same time of the year as the above photo (two weeks earlier). It is indeed planted with all kinds of squash, cucumber, fennel, dill and gourd seeds as well as hundreds of onion and shallot starts. Nothing is up but the corn on the far left.

This is the other tilled veggie area with beets, leeks, cabbage, cauliflower, beans and broccoli on July 17 of this year, far behind schedule (it looks more like it usually does in May). We are just this week harvesting the first of the broccoli and a handful of green beans. This time last year we were done with our broccoli crop having harvested, blanched and froze batches in June and July. The cabbages were going strong (FM had been making the first batches of sauerkraut this time last year) as were the beans but you can see in the back of this bed the fence that we are growing beans on is empty. Cabbages and cauliflower are still small. I had to in fact replant cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower twice from starts grown in the greenhouse because this spring we didn't have enough sun but had too much rain. The slugs didn't help either. 

This is the onion and shallot area this year, late July. Very sad. At least 3/4 of the hundreds of onions and shallots I started from seed did not grow.

This blank area had been planted with hundreds of onion and shallot starts, but nothing exists today. They just didn't grow. It's important for us to take note of all of this because we depend on the food we grow, although we do have the option of going to the store. Imagine if we didn't. Many people don't have that luxury and many more don't have a clue where food comes from, sadly. 

Small farms work their asses off, so when you buy from your local farmer or farmer's market, or local produce from your grocery store, you are supporting a critical part of the food chain and helping to make sure they can keep going. With crazy weather like this past year we'll need to adapt quickly if we want to be successful food growers, something to which we all need to pay attention.

Moving on from growing food challenges, this Baccharis pilularis or coyote brush grew too tall and branches broke off in the heavy April snow. I pruned it back hard knowing it's a tough native shrub.

I am pleased to say this has filled in rather nicely.

This one shot of a mole mound represents the 10 to 15 new mounds we see daily. I give up.

This sad looking cistus up and did this overnight. Upon close inspection it turned out to be a huge mole hole right next to the trunk. We filled it in, I cut back most of the dead bits and it is rebounding, miraculously. I'm not certain it will survive the year but I'm willing to wait it out. That's the worst thing about the moles, they leave caverns next to root systems and plants die. Yes, I know they aerate the soil, blah blah blah, but I would rather have a mole-free garden, personally. 

Salvia officinalis and I have pretty much broken up.

This was taken a few years ago when this Salvia o. 'Purpurascens' was huge. I was afraid it would die off and it did, in large part.

Here it is now. We have lost many in other parts of the garden, only a few survive. The wet spring was not to their liking is what I believe happened.

Branches kept dying this spring and I kept cutting them back. It is alive but much smaller.

Daphne 'Eternal Fragrance' had a few decent sized branches snap off from heavy snow in April. 

It has filled in rather quickly, I can't really detect the damage.

Rhamnus alternatus 'Variegata', variegated Italian buckthorn, after the April snowstorm. I was livid, actually. Not sure why but this really pissed me off. I found some rebar and tied some branches vertically to them to help correct the growing direction of the branches.

Here it is today, upright, gorgeous and happy to be in the sun.

This is not anything related to extreme weather, rather a thorn in my side visually speaking. This rather large area is clover, which is fine, but it dies completely every year by July, sometimes by May if it's rather warm. It's a dead zone. To my delight, FM suggested that we extend the labyrinth garden to this area and plant super drought-tolerant low growing plants, primarily natives. I mean why not? I propagate a lot and have them on hand, so that will be a fun project this autumn. Thank you, FM! Great idea.

The heaviest loss of all is that a few of our hens are gone. This is Gandy, she was taken by a bird of prey in the middle of the day.

This is one of the five Carmens (we obtained a handful who all look the same from a lovely woman named Carmen). We've lost two to predation by birds of prey. One just disappeared, the other we found evidence of feathers hundreds of feet away.

The most difficult of all is Frida. She was my favorite and our mascot. She was the best. Loved to follow me around, providing advice, helping me to dig holes (looking for worms). Frida was taken by a raccoon one night when the hen door was accidentally left open. She's buried in our garden.

Curious Frida.

On a happier day, the inaugural sign day. I wanted to take the sign down but FM wants to leave it. We'll see. My heart is heaviest for the loss of our hens. I know there are predators out there, and we take every precaution to protect them (their coop is like Fort Knox) but hawks and eagles during the day are a new threat for us. We shall continue to care for them the best that we can, keeping a keen eye. 

It's not economical to enclose a third of an acre with chicken wire (they are fenced in, I'm talking overhead wire). I'm kind of at a loss and still very sad. I know, it's just chickens but when they become your buddies, you cross a line and are in serious danger of heartbreak. 

I suppose I'd rather feel the heartbreak than be cold to it, but this year has been a doozy. We shall carry on, taking notes, feeding hens, gardening, watering, digging, raking, pruning, harvesting, filling birdbaths, filling bird feeders, planting and all that comes with our little slice of bliss. Oh, and stretching our gardening muscles happens by default. They are quite sore truth be told. I hope that Mother Nature takes mercy on us next year and we're able once again to have a bountiful harvest and continue to grow much of our own food. I hope that others experience the joys of growing and eating ripe raspberries right off of the vine. That's how summers are designed. That's the joy of it all.

There it is, a snapshot of some of our loss, some minor solutions and since there is still a lot to do in the garden, we're moving on from our loss. Carry on.

That's a wrap for this week at Chickadee Gardens. Thank you for reading and commenting, we do love connecting with you all. Happy gardening, everyone!

Comments

  1. Anonymous9:30 AM PDT

    The doctors Paulat & Pinson are in: and I would say your cure rate is impressive.

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  2. Oh I'm SO saddened by the loss of you hens! Losing them to predators is my biggest fear with my chickens- I am SO attached to them- thus the fort knox of my run & moat. I lost one to illness recently and of course she was the favorite. But I do really love having them, so on we go armed with more knowledge for next time. I think you should definitely leave the Frida sign up as a tribute to her :-). This gardening season HAS really been challenging! My veggies are a flop this year too. The tomatoes are just finally getting going so hopefully they will make up for everything else that didn't do anything. I had major critter issues this year too (mainly rabbits) and had to relocate A LOT of plants, more this fall too. I'm learning what plants are the toughest, for sure, that can stand up to weather extremes and critters, and planting more of them. And with all the rain from this spring the weeds, especially the blackberries, have really exploded and have really gotten out of control this year- I just can't keep up! Oh- do you need another Atriplex? I have one you can have if you want it. I can't decide where to plant it- I don't think I have a perfect spot for it. We also had a very large (80') snag fall this last Sunday and crushed several plants. I think they'll all live, but forms are ruined. I've just accepted this is part of living in a forest. Of course it was a 100 degree afternoon- definitely not ideal for cutting up a tree. But it was blocking the driveway and hubby needed to go to work the next morning so it had to be done. Whew! Is summer over yet? I can't wait until Fall!

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    1. I KNOW....Gina, it sucks, doesn't it? I am so sorry for your loss, too. OK, I'll leave the Frida sign up, honoring her is the best thing to do, you're right.

      Sorry about your veggies as well - it's been hard all around for most of us. I hope you get lots of decent tomatoes. And your rabbit issues....sheesh. I can luckily say we have not been plagued by the bun buns yet. Right now it's skunks...oy.

      We should have a meeting of the minds to come up with a master list of everything that has survived the last two years (and thrived??) and offer it as a public service. Maybe get other gardeners involved like Anna.

      The weeds. Oh yes, I forgot to talk about the extra weeds. I think every weed seed germinated this year in the record wet spring.

      The Atriplex - I would love one, but only if you are seriously not going to plant it. I actually bought the very last one from Mike's dwindling Joy Creek inventory (I mean I brought the cuttings in so I don't feel too badly about getting the last one...tee hee), but I would welcome another one, for sure.

      The challenges! Man, living in the forest has its own set of special challenges for sure. Hang in there, autumn is near, my friend. xo

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  3. Thank you for this. It's hard reading - especially the poor chickens - but it helps to make the rest of us feel not so alone when we look out at the sad state of our own gardens.

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    1. You are so welcome, Stephen, I mean it helps to know we are all in this together. We gardeners are a hardy group and we'll get through it together.

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  4. I'm sorry, Tamara. Given those extreme - and unpredictable - weather events in relatively close proximity, it's not surprising some plants were unable to cope. Climate change has thrown a major monkey wrench into the art and exercise of gardening. The old rule book is gone and writing a new one may be difficult but, after mourning our losses, we can all benefit from celebrating and studying the survivors. I've stubbornly hung on to plants I love, planting replacements in the hope that next year will be different, but I'm gradually accepting that the mix must change. I suspect I'll always allow myself to coddle a select number of plants, knowing that they'll probably be short-lived but, with water issues only expected to worsen here, I can't expect the occasional flood to change anything. The sad loss of your chickens is undoubtedly hard and I can't offer anything other than solace.

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    1. Well said, Kris. Climate change has indeed thrown a monkey wrench into it. Yes, let us celebrate the survivors. As I mentioned to Gina above (Fernhaven) we should publish a list of what has survived for us all along the West Coast.

      I think we must all stubbornly hang on to plants we love - to coddle them - which is ok. It brings joy, so yes. But your water issues are HUGE and scary and happening right now, for that I am truly sorry, Kris.

      Your solace is most welcome and I thank you for it. Hugs to you my friend.

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  5. Jeanne DeBenedetti-Keyes1:09 PM PDT

    My condolences, Tamara! Sorry to hear about your buddies, the chickens! Yes, you can go to the grocery store, but it is not the same as having your own home-grown veggies and eggs. We are definitely feeling the effects of climate change! I am so impressed with the recovery of your coyote bush, the daphne and all of the other plants you save from the brink of death! Here's hoping for a long and fruitful/veggie-full fall.

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    1. Thank you Jeanne. My buddies, I know! So sad.

      Yes, the coyote bush wins for "most improved plant after drastic pruning" for the 2022 year...ha ha....and the others have rebounded nicely (this time). Mother nature takes and gives.

      Here's to yes, a long and fruitful veggie-full fall indeed! I like that, thank you!

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  6. So sorry. You have my sympathy. That is extremely painful to see a drooping Madrone. Does it receive any shade at all? Have any high over story? I hope there is a chance for recovery of such a special and precious tree.

    The hens, too. Oww. I wonder if a goose would help? They are traditional protection for hens as they are territorial and feisty. Or a protective dog? Some breeds raised from puppies with hens can be trained to protect them.

    I feel heartache about my garden too, Here it is drought and the threat of the government eventually deciding to outlaw all garden irrigation. We already have zoning stripped away with the hope that everyone with a backyard will fill it with an apartment or two or three for ever more people rather than gardens for the soul (and for shade, and food...).

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    1. I know...so sad. What the corn happened, I wonder? It has high overhead shade for a couple of hours from a very pruned up Douglas fir. The strange thing is that it planted itself there and has thrived up until now. I'm grateful you get it, Hoover.

      A goose, eh? I never considered one but let's talk to FM and see if he's game. That's a good idea! We're not ready for a dog yet, but love them and will probably have one someday.

      I am sorry about your water woes along with Kris (above), and more than that the land becoming occupied by people. We NEED green spaces or we will wither from within. Yes, food for the soul, shade, food - all of it - when it's all gone maybe we'll learn? I am so truly sorry. Garden irrigation is not what's draining the resources, I think - correct me if I'm wrong.

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  7. So sorry for the loss of your hens. They say we should enclose our runs now because of avian flu spreading from wild birds too, so another reason to do it even if it means less space to roam. I've not lost a chicken to a bird of prey yet, but making a fully enclosed run is on my chore list. An automatic coop door (solar powered) has been a life saver for me. I still take a peak every night I'm home to double check it's closed (fear of mechanical failure), but it's nice to have it just do its thing. Plus it makes going out of town for a couple days much less stressful.

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    1. Thank you Cait, I appreciate your comments and taking the time. Yes, avian flu we are keeping a close eye on as well. I'm glad you haven't lost any hens yet to birds of prey - hopefully that will never happen. I think the birds of prey must be desperate, too.

      We've seen those automatic coop doors and I will look into them, for sure. And going out of town...what's that? Ha ha.. I kid, but the solar coop door is a great idea. Thanks again.

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  8. The best post I've read in a long time. Honest, brutal, hopeful all at the same time. What else can we do?

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    1. Indeed, Sprite, what can we do? Great question. I think we carry on.

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  9. I relate SO much to this post, Tamara. I've had many plant losses -- and others just suffering -- from extreme weather here in Austin, from insane cold two winters ago to our current summer from hell. It's natural to be sad, frustrated, and angry about such climate changes. Doesn't it make one feel helpless? I admire your attitude in keeping on and making changes to your plant palette to harden the garden against extremes as well as you can. Thanks too for the unveiled accounting of loss. Everyone kills lots of plants, and it's good to be reminded -- reality check! -- that even the most talented gardeners aren't immune to that. Keep calm and garden on!

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    1. Oh, Pam, I have been following your weather and I think we mirror one another's extremes generally speaking. I mean what was it - 45 days in a row over 100 degrees there? I am SO so sorry.

      I do feel helpless sometimes, that's for sure. But then I'll see a hummingbird and think that I need to keep going and take care of her favorite plants and try again.

      We do all kill plants, Mother Nature has been helping a lot, lately, however. Keep calm and garden on indeed, that's our new motto, eh? Hang in there and I hope you guys get back to a more "normal" weather pattern this autumn.

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  10. Anonymous11:26 PM PDT

    I’m sorry about your garden. We’ve had similar struggles with that damn April frost destroying a big portion of our fruit crop…. And all the rain! It’s been a very challenging gardening year. 😞
    I wanted to suggest something for your hens. Have you tried putting out some fold-up tables around when the hens are out? It gives them a place to hive from the birds of prey. Maybe worth a try?
    I’m also battling moles. I heard recently that road flares work well by putting in the hole & gassing them. I have no idea if it works, but I might try it! Must be particularly annoying having mole holes with the gravel mulch.
    I discovered a bunny in my garden tonight, so that’s what I’m fighting at the moment 😞

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    1. Oh that April frost and snow! That was the WORST and I literally have had nightmares about 2' of snow in August. I am so sorry, it looks like we're in the same boat. Rain, snow, too much too much.

      Thanks for that idea about fold up tables, that's a good one! The hens have a lot of large shrubs they do hide in quite successfully, that's why it's equally surprising that a bird of prey got some of them...it must have been super stealth. But a table is worth a try!

      Oh moles! Hmmm...road flares? FM would like the sound of that! Let us know if it works for you if you do indeed try it.

      And too bad about the bunny! I've heard there are a lot in Portland these days, probably domestic rabbits that escaped or were dumped. I hope the bunny moves on for you! Thanks and I appreciate your comments.

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  11. This must have been a hard post to write Tamara, but it's a good one for us to read, we are not alone. Gardening is so hard sometimes. The not knowing why, the need to just carry on. The state of your produce garden just baffles and saddens me. And then there are the hens. Damn. I am so sorry.

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    1. Actually it was quite therapeutic, Danger. I feel like if we can all share in our challenges they aren't quite so daunting any more. We are NOT alone, we are a tight community of plant warriors. The why, yes, not knowing. That is so so very hard. The veggie garden, it's so scary, Loree. I mean it can't be just me. What about larger local farms that provide produce for our local stores? That's tough. Thanks for your kind words, it's nice to have friends out there.

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  12. I sense a feistiness in this post, getting "pissed off" about the Italian Buckthorn, so I know you're going to be all right despite the heartache. Was just talking chickens with a friend, and she is opting for quail because they don't need to be let out of the coop -- haven't fact checked this yet but an interesting possibility if true. I visited the Master Gardeners veg garden at the local fairgrounds, and boy are they pissed off too about the garden, which I have to say looked grand to me but they had to replant multiple, multiple times, just had to be relentless to get some beans and stuff to grow. Not an easy year for growing veg. I'm a little shocked that collards are doing great for me, and I actually like eating them! and lazily planting peas and beans from seed in July worked out amazingly well, just sheer dumb luck. You're so right about supporting local farmers, and we hit the farmers market religiously every weekend. Brutal way to earn a living! I wonder if a Great Pyrenees would be fast enough to chase away predator birds. I know they are left outside in all weather to keep flocks safe from wolves -- and I bet they're pretty cuddly too ;). Best wishes and condolences to you both!

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    1. Feisty! I love it! Yes, there is some feist in there. We'll be all right indeed, but man this has been hard for so many of us gardeners. Quail, eh? I don't know about that....but it's a nice idea.

      Collards? That's great! Super nutritious. Maybe I should grow some too. I'm glad your peas and beans are doing well! That's great. It's all about timing, really. Our pole beans are finally producing. Glad you hit the farmers market, that is so helpful to eat locally produced food. It's a win-win.

      Hmmm a Great Pyrenees - that's something to look into ;) Thank you Denise for your support and kind words.

      Garden on!

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  13. Anonymous11:29 AM PDT

    Your chickens weren't "just" chickens, they were your pets. Feeling loss is natural and understandable. I wish you had a pet crow, they are excellent at spotting and harassing birds of prey.
    It's is tough losing plants or experiencing bad harvest. It make me appreciate farmers and pioneers that relied on a good harvest to survive. My Italian plum trees have a pitiful bounty this year. It isn't alway clear why, but I think of all the things that need to come together to produce our food.
    I like a sure thing I'm afraid, so when it comes to food production, it is usually garlic, peas, potatoes and string beens. And cherry tomatoes, of course.
    The expansion of the labyrinth garden is exciting; I'm looking forward to seeing it in the fall.
    chavli

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    1. Thank you Chavli, they were our pets, that's certain. Speaking of crows, we are pro-crow around here and love them. We feed a family daily and are very friendly with them. It just so happens they normally escort birds of prey away from "their" garden, but our family was busy rearing a baby so wasn't around as much.

      Too bad about your plums! You are so right, the stars do have to align to grow good food. I wish more people were tapped into this and were willing to if not grow their own, buy locally raised food. Your menu of what you grow sounds pretty darned great to me!

      I too look forward to the new labyrinth expansion, it's keeping me thinking creatively and looking forward to the future.

      Cheers!

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  14. Rough gardening year for sure, although I'm having some minor unexpected successes, mostly my roses. Nearly every flower and food seed I planted disappeared -- no growth at all. My raspberries disappeared also, will have to entirely replant although I see a few starts here and there that I can maybe salvage. One unwelcome success: blackberries and poison oak. I cannot give up on the poison oak eradication because I get pretty severe reactions, but it's everywhere! ARG. Onward we go.

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    1. Great news about your roses! That's fantastic. We need to celebrate our successes. I am sorry about your flower and food seedlings, that's so heartbreaking. And your raspberries. We know you understand. Yes, the weeds this year, in your case blackberries and poison oak have extra fuel under their skins from all that rain. I swear the weeds were triple the amount this spring that they usually are. I hope you can get rid of them and next year is kinder to us all.

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  15. Oh, and I meant to say that I am very sorry about your hens. I love mine, and dread the inevitable day when something happens to one of them. They are dear little dummies and so useful and entertaining. I'm so sorry for you and your girls.

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    1. Thank you, I hope your little dummies (that made me chuckle) live long and happy lives.

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  16. What a tough go this year for you and FM. I think seeing that virtually empty veg garden is the most shocking of all. A beautiful garden will always rebound one way or another, and in spite of the heartbreak and losses this year, you still have a beautiful garden with some 'opportunity holes'. I'm so sorry that you lost your sweet hens. That must have been the worst thing of all.

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    1. Isn't it shocking? I mean I just kept walking around shaking my head. Now, truth be told, the squash are taking over and beginning to cover up any bare soil so it doesn't sting quite as much. See, the squash are successful and just as you say, the garden is beginning to rebound.

      Losing the hens was the worst, thank you for your kind words.

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  17. Barbara H.8:51 PM PDT

    I'm so far behind on everything, even reading favorite blogs! What a challenging year for you and so puzzling when seemingly healthy plants suddenly take a dive. Even worse is the loss of the hens. It seemed like some commenters had what sounded like good possibilities for the birds of prey problem. Maybe umbrellas? Hah - no idea really but I hope you find a solution. Our heavy hearts do go on but it's always painful.

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    1. Thank you Barbara for your kind words of compassion. It has been challenging not just for me but for so many of us. The weather extremes are doing things to plants we have never experienced before so it's all a big learning curve. I hope we find a solution for the hens as well - so far the crows have been back on the property helping to keep birds of prey away, so that's good news.

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  18. I am so sorry about your hens. People I know are losing them down here in S. Oregon too. I wonder if the raptors are getting their usual diet of rodents. A woman who lost her chickens also lost her friendly little pond turtle. She would hand feed it shrimp every day.
    Down here I've had few triumphs this year. My huge Daphne Summer Ice died suddenly. My trouble laden Spice Zee Nectaplum has a heavy load of fruit, but it won't ripen, and some is rotting on the tree, probably damage from the bad case of peach leaf curl. The delayed ripening isn't stopping something, probably a rat, from climbing the tree to eat the fruit. The raspberries are alive, but they all have something called crumbly berry. You can make jam, or whatever, but you can't put raspberries on your cakes, not that I ever make any. None of the seeds I planted in situ ever appeared. My squashes are finally growing, but there isn't any fruit yet and it's mid August. Do I have time? I doubt it. My Chinese lilac tree has weevils and I had to go out at 10 every night and knock them off into a tray and stomp them. The larvae attack the roots and sometimes kill the plant. I see damage elsewhere too. The Romano beans and the cucumbers all have some leaf disease. And, of course it has been very hot for a month and things generally look fried. Oh, and the peach tree has fruit, but only 3 have grown larger than a cherry. Speaking of cherries, they all were infested with maggots from the cherry fruit fly. If I won't spray, which I won't, I'll never harvest a decent cherry, even though I gather all the fruit and put it in the trash so they can't reproduce. Ha! Who wins the misery contest? Well, you do, because you lost your chickens. Loving another creature makes you vulnerable to such sadness, doesn't it?

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    1. Oh, that' so sad about her turtle! Sheesh. Well, nature, right? You have a Spice Zee too? We have one and I swear I'm going to rip it out. It produced one fruit this year, the first one in 6 years and always gets peach leaf curl, so I'm thinking it's time to go?

      Your situation sounds awful! I'm so sorry about the rats. And your raspberries. That's alarming about your squash. Well, everything. Misery indeed, I think we all were dealt a misery card this year. I am so sorry for your losses. I hope, however, that you are still gardening. Yes, loving a creature makes one vulnerable, but I'd rather be vulnerable because I loved a creature than cold hearted and not care about the land they live on. Thank you for your words of compassion, I appreciate it.

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    2. Oh, I'll never stop gardening until they wheel me out on a gurney, but I'm thinking of removing all the fruit trees. They're doing nothing for me, although the optimism of gardeners tells me to see if they do better next year. They won't.

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    3. Ah, good news, the world needs gardeners. Remove them if you want to, if they don't bring you joy or some benefit, what's the point?

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  19. After one of the many mid nineties days this summer I had a Eucalyptus pauciflora ssp niphophila surprise die, along with a red evergreen azalea. No biggie on the azalea, I've killed tons of those, but the Euc really surprised me, I thought they were super heat tolerant, they grow like weeds in California. I'm in Dallas Oregon.

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    1. Zea, thank you for your comment. I am frankly astonished your Eucalyptus died and so sad for you. I bought the same tree (from Xera in 2020) and now feel that my lazy attitude towards it is foolish. I'll go check it out. I wonder what did it in? Did you give it water? It should have, on paper at least, done well for you. Maybe Paul Bonine or Greg Shepherd of Xera can shed some light?

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    2. Yeah I'm astonished too. It was on drip irrigation like most of my stuff. Grew over 4 feet since planted on March 18. Do you think daily irrigation could kill it? The same regimen is used on a Pinus parviflora nearby and it is thriving.

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    3. Hmmm...maybe the drip irrigation had something to do with it. I planted mine in 2020, watered it in initially and it hasn't received any supplemental water since and is probably 10' tall. I'm no eucalyptus expert but I suspect maybe it had too much water. Anyone else care to chime in?

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  20. I don't know what happened but I realized this week that I hadn't seen a post from Chickadee Gardens in a long time. Upon checking, I found many posts on your site that were new to me. What can a reader do when suddenly a subscription ceases? This has happened to me with other blogs.

    Anyway, I'm catching up today. I did know about the extreme weather conditions that caused so much damage to your garden, and my heart hurt for you. Reading today about the loss of your chickens triggered a comment. I have a very soft spot for animals, including chickens. I understand how crushed you must have been, especially to lose your favorite Frida. I really loved seeing your cats. I have been a cat person for over twenty-five years, have two of my own, and I love everyone else's cats. I've had to put some of them down because of illness, and it's heart-wrenching. I'm very sorry for your loss of the chickens.

    You and FM have put so much into your property. I hope you never again have the kind of losses you have experienced in the past year.

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    1. Hi Jeanette, thank you for your comments. Yes, Blogger discontinued the email notification recently, I am not sure how to address the issue and use another platform. If I figure it out I'll post about it. Anyhow yes, I continue to post here regularly so hopefully you'll check in from time to time!

      Thank you for your kind words about our animals, we were and are crushed, indeed. Frida's loss was the hardest. Oh, and the kitties, we understand that heart wrenching decision to put them down because of illness. It's humane, of course, but so very hard.

      Thank you for your well wishes, too - I know so many people have experienced loss of some kind and the weather keeps getting worse it seems, but it feels good to have a community of compassionate people out there (such as yourself) to come together, even if it is just online. Cheers to you.

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